The use of internal combustion engines (hereinafter abbreviated as ICE) has dominated the automotive industry over the last century. However, environmental concerns, dependence on oil, restrictions enforced by governments, and an enormous demand for improved fuel economy has encouraged automotive manufacturers to develop more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions. Alternative powertrains, meaning that alternative power sources to the ICE are employed to propel a vehicle driveline, is one of the common solutions in the industry. Alternative powertrains typically include turbochargers, fuel cell systems, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in electric hybrids, hydraulic hybrids, mechanical hybrids, among others.
Conventionally, a hybrid electric vehicles includes an ICE and an electric motor that can be used together or independently to drive the vehicle. Differentials are well known in the prior art and are arranged in a power transmission system of a motor vehicle to allow a pair of output axle shafts operatively coupled to an input shaft to rotate at differential speeds, thereby allowing the wheel associated with each output shaft to maintain traction with the road while the vehicle is turning.
Current electric and hybrid electric vehicles typically utilize a countershaft design. The countershaft design includes the use of at least one countershaft with a combination of helical and planetary gear arrangements drivingly connected thereto in addition to the axle having a differential assembly to provide a multi-speed transmission. These arrangements require specialized packaging and additional components that increase the cost of the vehicle.
Therefore, there is a need for a simplified transaxle arrangement reducing cost and eliminating clearance problems caused by a countershaft interfering with other vehicle components such as, but not limited to a sub frame, interior space, fuel cell, or battery packs.